Film Reviews

Rat Race

• Director: Jerry Zucker.
• Starring: Rowan Atkinson, John Cleese, Whoopi Goldberg, Cuba Gooding Jr.
• Details: US / 100 mins / (15PG)

Any movie proudly boasting the talents of Rowan Atkinson and Whoopi Goldberg has to be viewed with a certain amount of cynics and Rat Race certainly doesn't let the misanthropists down. The story is helmed around a gambling tycoon, Donald Sinclair (Cleese) who randomly assembles six people and presents them with a challenge - be the first to get to a small New Mexico town and collect two million dollars in cash. Of course, the six all have different means and methods of making it to the destination and Sinclair is busy taking bets on who will be the first to arrive. Yawn. Inspired by the likes of Cannonball Run and other such crimes against humanity, Rat Race is a one trick horse masquerading as an entire film. The humour is padded and badly etched, the scenarios predictably woeful and the acting - even for a slapstick comedy - atrocious. Quite simply, this is one of the most grossly unfunny movies I have had to endure. Grim and don't bear it.

Review by Garreth Murphy